Ottawa hockey player faces assault charge after on-ice hit
Ottawa police say the hit happened on the ice, but wasn't part of the hockey game
An Ottawa teen faces an assault charge for allegedly hitting a fellow hockey player and sending him to the hospital with a concussion during a non-contact tournament in January, according to police.
Const. Marc Soucy said the accused, a 17-year-old boy, hit an unsuspecting player, also 17, from behind during a game at the Richcraft Sensplex on Jan. 17.
Police received a complaint three days later.
Soucy said the hit happened on the ice, but away from the play.
"It was considered not a hockey play," he said.
The accused was charged Feb. 23 with assault causing bodily harm. Police put out a media release on March 3.
The teen's name has not been released due to provisions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Soucy said he wasn't sure how the injured player has been recovering.
Last month police charged another teenage boy with criminal charges after he allegedly assaulted a player on the ice with a hockey stick during a game in Stittsville last November.
Soucy said if people complain, Ottawa police have a duty to investigate.
"It's not that we're cracking down," he said. "We found the plays in question were outside of the limit of what you see during a regular hockey game, so accordingly charges were laid."